Transform Traditional Lessons into
STEM Activities with Pizzazz!
Gail Dickinson
Sandy Weicks
John Hunt
What makes a project – STEM?
The four basic elements for crafting a STEM lesson:
1.
Question/Problem —Real-world problems/questions are posed to
students.
2.
Inquiry-Based —Students "conduct original research" through inquirybased and inspired lessons to test, gather, and analyze data.
3.
Collaborative —Students work collaboratively to re-design and
improve potential solutions.
4.
Findings Communicated —Solutions and findings are communicated
to peer communities
Steps to Great STEM Lessons
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Prepare the STEM lesson around a topic you will be
teaching.
Connect that topic to a real-world problem.
Clearly define the STEM challenge students will tackle.
Use the engineering design process.
Involve students (in teams) in researching the content
for the challenge.
Steps to Great STEM Lessons (cont.)
6. Encourage teams to develop their own ideas about how to
solve the problem.
7. Guide teams to choose one idea to test and then create
their prototype.
8. Facilitate the process of prototype testing and evaluation.
9. Involve teams in communicating their findings.
10. Redesign if there’s time.
Suggestions
 Begin lesson with a “hook” activity.
Video, class discussion, hands-on activity
 Be sure to include research/background info
Internet
 Model if needed
Have students model teacher
 Include an inquiry piece
Directed inquiry
 Follow the engineering design process
Engineering Design Process
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Problem/Goal
Research
Brainstorm/Plan
Design
Create Prototype
Test Prototype
Improve
Difference Between Science & Engineering
Scientists tend to explore the natural world
and discover new knowledge about the
universe and how it works.
Engineers apply that knowledge to solve
practical problems, often with optimizing
cost, efficiency, or some other parameters.
I find out
the HOW
& WHY!
I FILL A
NEED!
Sample Traditional Lessons
Transformed Into STEM Lessons
 Parachute Project
 Snack Attack
 iPhone Dock
 Google SketchUp
Traditional Physics Lesson
Parachute Lesson
Lesson includes: following instructions for
making parachute – make observations, time,
record data, change one variable.
Transformed Physics Lesson
Parachute STEM Project
Students will are hired to drop a payload of medicine to a
remote hospital in Africa. The payload must descend at the
slowest rate possible to protect it’s contents.
Science Background:
• Gravity
• Newton’s Laws of Motion
• Drag/Friction/Resistance
• Free fall
• Velocity- Terminal/Constant
• Acceleration
• Surface Area
• Balanced &Unbalanced Forces
Science Skills:
• Measuring
• Observing
• Analyzing
• Data Collection
• Sharing Information
• Conclusion
Parachute STEM Project (cont.)
Introduction
Review science concepts
Research or review Parachute history
Activity 1- Parachute video
Activity 2 – Model teacher
Activity 3 – Change one variable
Activity 4 – Build from scratch
Traditional Lesson on Sound
Lesson or activities include: Various stations in
which students make sounds.
For example, a drum, tuning fork, coat hanger & singing
tube.
Transformed Sound Lesson
Design an iPhone Dock
Students will: Design an iPhone dock that
will enhance the sound in one direction
while supporting the phone.
Science Background:
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How sound works
Vibrations though objects
Sound waves/Wavelength
Volume
Amplitude
Crest/Trough
History of sound – Acoustic Mirrors
Traditional Physics Lesson – Egg Drop
Traditional lesson-students design a covering
around an egg to protect it from breakage
when dropped from a certain height.
Science skills – testing, gathering evidence,
observing, force of gravity, Newton’s Laws.
Transformed Physics Lesson
Snack Attack
Students are part of an engineering firm who is hired to
package a single serving of a S’more. The package must be
economical and protect the product from breakage, heat and
moisture.
Science background:
• chemical & physical changes in
matter
• Newton’s Laws of Motion
• force of gravity
• transfer of energy
• kinetic and potential energy
• properties of materials – plastic
cardboard, aluminum
Science Skills:
• observing
• data collection
• testing
• conclusion
• sharing information
• collaboration
• research
Google SketchUp Activities
Google SketchUp is a type of CAD (Computeraided Design) software is used by architects,
engineers, drafters, artists, and others to
create precision drawings or technical
illustrations.
Google SketchUp is free!!!
Teaching Google SketchUp
1. Exploration
2. Review basic tools
3. Tutorials (simple – advanced)
 Simple house
 Chair
 Dog house
 Pencil
 Circle house
Google SketchUp Activities
Design your own Dream House
Between 3,000 to 5,000 square feet
Must include:
• living room
• bed rooms
• Kitchen
• 2 bathrooms
• Garage, carport
• Landscape
• Furnishings
Google SketchUp Activities
Design an Art Museum
Approximately 10,000 square feet
Must include:
• Polygon/Octagon shape
• Front door / Translucent
• 10 paintings (Walter Anderson)
• People
• Furnished
• Carpet/flooring
• Wall color/texture
• At least 2 rooms
• Name on building
• Landscape outside of building
Jump Start Activities
These type of activities help students work on:
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Collaboration
Observation
Trial and Error
Brainstorming
Creativity
Communication
Problem Solving
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Measurement
Planning
Reflection
Learning from Others
Time Constraints
Goal Oriented
Competition
Jump Start Activities
Let’s Have Some Fun!
• Index Card Tower
• Airplane Loops
• Catapult
• Kinetic Sculpture
http://www-tc.pbskids.org/designsquad/pdf/parentseducators/ds_pe_event_guide_kinetic_sculpt.pdf
Other Activities
• Robot Hand
• Art Robot
More Activities
• Design an iPhone Case
More Activities
• Improve Park Design
More Activities
Snack Bag Assembly
Teams of students in grades 6 to 8 learn about the
field of industrial engineering and efficiency by
creating an assembly line to pack as many snack
bags in 2 minutes as possible.
They then see if they can improve their process.
http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/snack-bag-assembly/
More Activities
Survivor
Students will practice basic outdoor survival concepts.
1. Mental attitude
• 10 essentials in a coffee can
2. Oxygen
3. Shelter
4. Warmth
5. Rest
6. Water
7. Food
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/4h/uphamwoods/programs/documents/outdoorsurviva
llessonplan.pdf
Tips
 Provide a lot of guidance but few instructions.
 Mistakes and design failures are good methods
of learning.
 The STEM process may not be linear – the
sequence of events may change.
 Include Literacy & Art when possible.
Resource
http://www.middleweb.com/4328/12-steps-to-great-stem-lessons/
Resources
 Try Engineering
http://www.tryengineering.org/lesson-plans
 Teach Engineering
http://www.teachengineering.org/
 Engineering, Go For It
http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/category/lessons/
www.gmsmavs.com
Questions/Comments?
Gail Dickinson - gdickinson@madison-schools.com